Protective covers for burial caskets



p 7 H. H. MICHEL 2,788,597

PROTECTIVE COVERS FOR BURIAL GASKETS Filed Oct. 18, 1954 INVENTOR,HOWARD H. MICHEL ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent PROTECTIVE COVERS FOR BURIAL CASKETS Howard H.Michel, St. Louis, Mo.

Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,759

1 Claim. (Cl. 41--12) My invention relates generally to protectivecovers, and has particular reference to an improved article of thischaracter for preventing the marring of the top surface of burialcaskets by the floral, or other display pieces placed thereon.

The article of my invention is especially useful to funeral directorsfor preventing the finely finished surface of the casket from beingdamaged by the rough or wet base parts of floral sprays or the like. Anugly scratch or stain on the otherwise immaculate casket, revealed whenthe lid is closed and during the burial services, is highlydisconcerting to the mourners and creates resentment toward theundertaking establishment. It is an object of the invention to eliminatesuch a condition.

A further object of my invention is to provide a protective cover of thecharacter described having means for retaining the floral piece or otherdecoration in a fixed position on the casket for securement againstcasual or unintended displacement, and which flexibly adapts itself tothe contour of the top surface of the casket so as to be almostunnoticeable.

My invention comprises a cover of flexible, moisture resistant,transparent sheet material having flexible, gripping means on one sidefor causing it to cling to the top surface of the casket, and means onthe opposite or upper side for engaging a floral piece. Other objectsand advantages will appear from the following description setting fortha practical embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the article of my invention positionedon a casket;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the holding means taken in line 3--3of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now by numerals of reference to the drawing, 5 designates thecover member which preferably consists of a rectangular piece offlexible, water-resistant, transparent sheet material. The cover is of alength somewhat less than the length of a casket of average size, and ofa width somewhat greater than the width of such a casket so that it willextend transversely completely across the upper and side surfaces of thetop or lid member of the casket, as best appears from Fig. 2. Thematerial from which the cover 5 is made is preferably clear or uncoloredresilient sheet plastic such as that known in the trade as Vinylite.

As a means for fastening a spray, blanket or other floral piece to thecover member 5, such member is pro- 2,788,597 Patented Apr. 16, 1957vided with one or more rows of spaced, upwardly projecting prongs 6,consisting in the present example of nails of about one inch in lengthand having relatively large, fiat head portions 7. The nails extendthrough from the under side of the cover as shown in Fig. 3, and areretained by metal fasteners 8. Such fasteners may desirably consist ofsmall rectangular plates of resilient metal, each formed to provide apair of oppositely disposed spring fingers 9 whose confronting ends arearranged to engage and grip the prong 6 at its base. The fasteners thussecure the prongs in a position at right angles to the cover 5. Theprongs are preferably arranged and spaced, in transverse rows as shown,and the rows terminate short of the side edges of the cover so that theymay be concealed by the floral piece which they are intended topenetrate and hold in position.

The cover 5 is provided on its underside with means to cause itfrictionally to grip or cling to the surface of the casket. Such meansdesirably consist of fiat pads of foam or sponge rubber 1d, applied andsecured as by cement to the cover 5, in underlying relation to the nailheads 7. The pads 10 are preferably in the form of strips, as shown,extending transversely below the cover 5, along and subjacent the row ofnail heads. As so disposed the pads 10 serve to protect the casketsurface from becoming marred by the nail heads.

It will be understood from the foregoing that in use the cover is placedon the top of the casket as shown in Fig. 1, and the floral spray orblanket is placed thereon and pressed against the prongs to cause themto become embedded and concealed. The rubber pads 10 will, in mostinstances, be concealed by the floral piece, as will also the materialof the cover. However, because of its transparency any part of the cover5 that extends beyond the floral piece will be scarcely noticeable.

My invention should not be understood to be limited in form andconstituents precisely as described herein, for certain changes may bemade therein without departing from the specific and full intendment ofthe invention which is defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A casket protector comprising a rectangular sheet of transparent,flexible, water-impervious material, a plurality of nails extendingthrough said sheet, said nails being arranged in spaced rowstransversely of said sheet, and having flat enlarged head portionsengaging the underside of said sheet and pointed shank portionsprojecting upwardly at a right angle from the: upper side of said sheet,substantially fiat plate-like fasteners having finger portions grippingthe shank portions of said nails with the sheet tightly clamped betweensaid fasteners and the head portions of said nails, and fiat elongatestrips of rubber extending along the transverse rows of nails on theunderside of said sheet, said strips being adhesively secured to thesheet and to the head portions of said nails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,231,995 Glidden et a1. Feb. 18, 1941 2,234,512 Wilson Mar. 11, 1941FOREIGN PATENTS 698,531 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1953

